In 1966 you could have a Camero or you could have a Z/28 Camero and be the envy of every “car guy” on your block. This is the front fender logo on one of the Z/28 Camero’s that were on display. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun)

The “Holy-Grail” of Corvette badges in 1966 signifies what type of engine was in this car; and they didn’t get bigger then a 427 cubic inch power plant. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun)

“Corvette Steve” is the 2nd owner of this immaculate 1962 Corvette. The framed “sticker” shows the price of this true American sports car, in 1962, was under $5000.00. Today the car is worth over $100,000. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun)

A 1952 MG TD held it’s own amongst all of the American cars at Coffee & Cars last Saturday. (Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun)

Although the Best Buy in Hunt Valley Towne Centre is closed, the parking lot is full most Saturday mornings.

The cars, however, are not your average grocery getters and minivans. For more than a year, car enthusiasts have been gathering to show off their passion.

From 8 to 10 a.m., the car-curious can gawk at a wide variety of vehicles: American muscle cars from the ’60s and ’70s, Corvettes, original Mini Coopers, Porsches, Panteras, customized pick-ups and more.

“Coffee and Cars” was started by Rich Williams, who was recovering from a back injury and “needed to find a worthwhile task to occupy the recuperative hours after the workday was over.”

After two months of planning, the first event took place March 31, 2012, and the gatherings have been going strong ever since.

According to Rich’s Facebook page, the one-year anniversary event had over 850 cars on display and brought over 2400 spectators. Now, some of the local eating establishments are even bringing the coffee to the cars.

Gene, thank you for taking time to capture and present last Saturday’s gathering. For the automotive enthusiasts in your readership that may wonder if they can participate, one of our credos is — If you love your car, truck or SUV, you’re invited. Every Saturday from 8 a.m. – 10 a.m. at Hunt Valley Towne Centre, you’ll see automobiles of all marques and generations and you’ll meet enthusiasts of all generations. There’s no admission fee. Simply bring your love for automobiles and great respect for the community.

For more information, please refer to the Hunt Valley Horsepower Facebook Fan Page.

The Darkroom offers Facebook and WordPress commenting in the hopes of fostering constructive conversation among our users. Please abide by our
Terms of Service when commenting on the site.

Categories

ABOUT THE DARKROOM

The Darkroom, the photography and video blog of The Baltimore Sun, shines a light on visually captivating stories of our past and present. It showcases the exciting work of our staff, offers tips in the craft, and highlights the emerging community of independent media makers. We want your feedback – please contact us with suggestions and ideas.